Sweet Country of Paraguay

Dear Family and Friends:

Thanks for the update on what is going on back home.  It is great to hear from you all.  Anyways, this week was another week full of blessings and everything is working more smoothly.

Last Monday, we spent the day helping an inactive member build their fence.  His wife is not a member nor is his daughter, so we are hoping to activate them but they didn't end up coming to church.  So that was disappointing, because this Sunday was my favorite so far of the mission.  We taught another part member family, the Filetas, but this side it is the father that is not a member.  He always says that he will read in the Book of Mormon but never does.   He did come to church this Sunday=)

This week during the noche de Rama (Branch Night or  Branch get together) two people brought their friends, one is named Isaiahs and the other is Elaene.  Isaiahs is 13 years old and is a super nice.  He has a baptismal date for the 18th so we are looking forward to that.  Elaene, she is somewhere in her late 20´s and is super receptive but she didn’t end up coming to church which was weird because her son was supposed to be a part of the program.

We didn’t end up visiting Sergio this week and about Berdnarito (or however it is spelled), she told the person that accompanied us, while we were standing there, that she would like to marry Elder Woodfield, so Elder Woodfield refuses to go back there again.

This Sunday was the Primary Program and it was centered around “families can be together forever” and all the little kids were so funny in it.

Anyways, everything is going swell in the sweet country of Paraguay.

I love you All!

Love, Elder Call

A Much Better Week

Hola Family!

This week was a much better week down here in Obrero.  So some of the things that happened this week are: 

      On Monday we went and practiced singing Count Your Many Blessings for the Zone Conference which was Tuesday and once again I was voted “for being on note the best”!! Haha, for those of you who sat next to me in church or at any place where singing occurred, understand what they mean by the best!!

       Tuesday we had the Zone Conference in Central which was so good for me.  The first little while I really struggled understanding what was being said because at our home we speak English and so my mind gets used to English and isn’t able convert to Spanish very quickly, but after the first 20 or so minutes I was able to understand about 60% of what was being said.  It was on gratitude and the need for having an attitude of gratitude which caused me to do some repenting and gave me a new perspective at looking at situations that could be looked at as not so good and seeing the happy side of it and what is possible to learn from it.  We were going to go on splits with the zone leaders but they decided to not do that for the second time.  I was kind of bummed because Ii want to learn how other people teach and their strategies.

     Wednesday was super cool.  We were able to go on splits with our district leaders and I went with Elder Ruis from Ecuador, to their area which was super fun because he is awesome and very nice and humble and throughout the day was always helping me learn Spanish.  As we would walk we actually talked to each other which was a new experience and the way he taught was so simple, clear and didn’t confuse at all.  There was so much to learn and we had fun.  It would be cool if we were able to be companions for the rest of my training.

     Thursday we had a lesson with Kevin and his mom Rosena.  Kevin was baptized the 2nd of August, with his brother Edgar, but the rest of the family are not members.  Kevin is 12 and is a sweet kid.  We taught the Word of Wisdom and asked to them to stop drinking coffee and they said that they would. We are continually working on his mom but she for some reason won’t come to church and the dad is working on Sundays.

     Friday, Kevin accompanied us to an old investigators home named Luz, who is about 30 or so and is half way through a 10 year program for medicine. Luz was almost baptised a year ago but when she told her dad, he told her that she had to choose between religion and school and family because he would stop funding her schooling and kick her out of the house =( Her dad is in the military and is not one who won’t do what he says so we shared with her Matthew 13:44-46 and explained that the church is worth everything and is more valuable than anything possible to obtain in this life and then Mormon 9:19-21 and explained that God is a God of miracles and Elder Woodfield told a story of his mom being tested with cancer, receiving a blessing and when tested again was gone and I shared with her Gage’s story of hearing which really touched her heart and she said she would try for this Saturday to be baptized but she didn’t end up coming to church yesterday.

      Saturday we talked with Sergio and he said that he was able to come to church this Sunday because it was a Jewish New Year, so that was super cool.

        We were also able to find and teach Martin and Geseñia.  Martin is a less active member and his wife is not a member we taught the restoration and committed them to come to church and read together.

      Sunday, was the day of judgment, Sergio was able to come and stayed for the whole three hours he commented that the teachings were so clear and easy to understand, which made me laugh, and his only question was how the organization worked.  Martin and Geseñia came as well to sacrament but had to leave after to go to her brother’s birthday party, which is a huge thing down here.  We were happy that they were able to come. Also, Geseñia is expecting a baby in a couple of months.

Over all it was a good week. 

Thanks for the support.  Trials help the bright days look even brighter.

´´Love everyone´´ and that’s a command!

Love. Elder Call

Successes and Milagros

Hola! Everyone,

This week was a bit rough.  I’m not sure what we need to do to change our lessons but every time I suggest anything to my comp he shrugs it off and we continue to teach in the same manner we have for the past two weeks, but I will tell of the successes and milagros (miracles) that happened this week.

Last Monday, as a district we went to a soccer stadium and spent half an hour or an hour looking at the trophies and the field and then we went and played rugby at the church for about an hour.  Then we were able to get back to work which was nice!!!  We met with Bernardito, who is a single lady that Elder Woodfield and his companion, Elder Blackett, which is a roommate of mine, contacted.  Bernardito is studying law and is actually reading from the Book of Mormon.  As my companion explained, she has had the doubt that Christ didn’t establish one church to be His only true church because she receives good feelings from going to other churches as well.  We have explained through scriptures that Jesus did in fact establish a church on the earth, but I am afraid that she didn’t accept what we had taught. 

Tuesday we weren’t actually able to teach a lesson that day =( SO let me explain, we were given the instruction as a zone to meet at the hospital at 10 in the morning to do service at the hospital but when we had all gotten there we were informed that they weren’t ready for us yet and needed us back at 3, so ok sounds good.  So we went back to our apartment.  That meant we spent an hour of travel time and then we finished our studies and made lunch.  By then, it was time to go back with 20 to 40 minutes of travel each way.  When we get to the hospital, they have this army truck filled with medical supplies that we unloaded.  Now, it was close to 5:30 and they had another truck coming there to be unloaded so we waited until 6:15ish when it showed up.  By the time we finished unloading the second truck it was 8:30.  We traveled home and our day was gone.

The rest of the week was good and I have learned that no matter what, logic doesn’t convince people to change very well.  One thing I hope to improve on over the next several months is being able to discern other people’s feelings and emotions; because that is not something I do very well.

Love,

Elder Call

Finding, Teaching & Walking

Hola! Family and Friends,

We have spent the week finding and teaching and walking. Honestly, I think I thought missionary work would be more physically tasking than what I have experienced, but I guess it is just walking and it is really pretty flat.  Obrero is actually pretty much in Asuncion and it borders the river.  We live with two other missionaries in our pension, which they have explained is the worst pension in the mission.  I don’t think it is bad at all.  I think it helps that I kind of envisioned a much worse situation, so I am totally fine with it.

So far, all the food that I have been fed looks, smells, and tastes delicious.  People here don’t eat many vegetables which I miss. We don’t eat dinners, so I just eat a banana or two before bed.  There is nowhere enough time in the mission to do all the things that are necessary.  I have decided that I will only write in my journal every p-day because by the time we get back to the house and are ready for bed it is already after 10:30.  The members of the Branch are super cool and nice.  We are fed almost every single lunch and it is so hard to decide how much to eat without feeling guilty but also making sure they know that I really like it.  I still think I am gaining weight.

This Saturday I had my first experience working in the rain.  At first you try to keep your shoes dry and then it just doesn’t matter anymore.  Sergio has pretty much come to a stop because his only work is on Sunday.  Elder Woodfield has been out a year.

This work is amazing.  I love the help that I receive from the Lord.  I wish the language could come all at once but that is ok.  If we are patient with those around us and learn how to smile with every bad thing Satan puts in our path, we can come off conqueror when we put our trust in the Lord.

I love you all.  I don’t have time to write you all personally, but I do read your letters and thank you for your support.

Love,

Elder Call

Obrero, Asuncion, Paraguay

PARAGUAY!!!!!

So, I am finally here in Paraguay and it is awesome!  I love it so much. The area I have been assigned to serve in is called Obrero Zone 1.  It is in the outskirts of the city and, as Justin told me, it has a ton of trash, but there are parts that are really quite nice.

I arrived in Asunción on Tuesday and President Agazzani was there to pick us up at the airport. He is a super nice guy and has learned a little bit of English.  He tried his best to talk to us.  It is probably the same difficulty and understanding as when I try to speak in Spanish.  We had orientation which was good and long and then on Wednesday we met our companions.  Mine is Elder Woodfield from LA, California, and is pretty interesting.  He tries to talk to me in as much Spanish as possible, so in all honesty I don’t really know him that well, but he does his best in doing the work. I can almost understand some people if they speak really slowly and clearly.  The old men are definitely the hardest to understand, I still have yet to be able to hear them correctly.  I do my best in trying to follow along with the lessons but they get to speaking so fast that I can’t understand and can only pick out a few of the words and usually they are wrong anyways.  Right now, other than a sweet miracle of rapid knowledge of the language, I need patience to give me and our investigators time to progress. 

We have four hours every day to study and nine to proselyte.  I have met many of the members and the new converts.  On Saturday, we taught an investigator named Sergio, who is actually reading the Book of Mormon, which I guess no one does here and he believes that it is true and that Joseph Smith was a prophet and pretty much everything we tell him.  But he works two jobs, one during the week fixing electronics, which I guess he makes close to nothing even for Paraguayans and one on Sunday, teaching about electricity in a Jewish Synagogue.  That is where he makes what he does to survive and so he hasn’t been able to come to church. Anyways the people are so great here.  I have been fed almost every day at someone else’s house and so far I have loved the food. It all has been so good.

Anyways, I love you all and invite those around you to come to church please!!!!

Member missionary work is what really works.

Love,

Elder Call 

Editors Note:

If you would like to write Dallin a letter you may go to DearElder.com and send him a letter through the pouch system for free by selecting his mission (Paraguay Asuncion Mission). Letters are printed every Sunday night and sent by the Church's Pouch System. Or you can write him a letter and mail it to:

Elder Dallin Dale Call

Paraguay Asuncion Mission

Casilla de Correo 818

Asuncion

Paraguay

Packages can be sent to:

Elder Dallin Dale Call

Paraguay Asuncion Mission

2881 Del Maestro c/ Caballero

Barrio Herrera

Asuncion

Paraguay

Here are a few guidelines in sending packages:  Keep the package small--the more it costs you to send the package the more it costs Dallin to get the package from customs. Also, putting packages in the padded envelopes seem to have the most success; do not send "new" items.  If "used" items are sent the chances of Dallin receiving the package is greatly increased.